Chili Roasted Butternut Squash, Leek, & Asiago Pasta

If you’re obsessed with butternut squash, then let me cue you in on a little secret. It tastes it’s absolute best roasted in chili sauce and paired with leeks and asiago cheese! Introducing you to your new favorite roasted vegetable and pasta combo: Chili Roasted Butternut Squash, Leek, & Asiago Pasta!

A Satisfying Simple Pasta Dish

There is something so satisfying about a really simple pasta dish where the flavors of the vegetables shine through. You can make this recipe with virtually any pasta and it whips up in just 35 minutes. It’s been my go to easy dinner and it happens to store great as leftovers too.

Also, if you’re looking for a way to make this even better I’d recommend buying a block of rosemary asiago cheese and grate it yourself. I really try to buy cheese in it’s whole block form now after I learned that they put a coating on the cheese so it doesn’t stick together in the packaging (yuck!). Also, I just find the flavor of freshly grated cheese to be SO much better. I was able to find rosemary asiago cheese at Trader Joes and at Met Market here in Seattle, so I bet your grocery store has something similar too!

Over here, I’m getting really excited for an upcoming trip to the East Coast. Thanksgiving is my favorite time to go home, and this time I’m combining it with a wedding in Boston and a quick trip to NYC to visit my sister and eat all the yummy food. Which reminds me- if you happen to know of any great vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants in NYC- please tell! So far we have reservations at ABCV and I am SO excited!

I’ll see you here next week for the perfect Thanksgiving side dish and, in the meantime, enjoy this simple and hearty pasta dish!

-TSG

In case you are looking for some of the tools & ingredients used in this recipe, I’ve put a few of my favorites for you here:

The most crucial part of this recipe is an awesome chili oil. I have become a recent addict of Chili Beak Roasted Chili Oil and used it in this recipe. I love that it’s just the right amount of spicy!

This isn’t an affiliate link, but in case you’re wondering where I got the bowl pictured in this recipe it’s from a local potter Amelia whose work I have come to love over at Two Hands Full. Her work is absolutely stunning and would make the perfect gift for any pottery loving friend. (PS this is her Forage bowl!)

Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, strain all the pasta but save 1/4 cup of pasta water. Add the strained pasta back to the pot and toss with 2 Tbsp of butter so that the pasta does not stick. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 400F and chop your butternut squash and leek. Add the cubed butternut squash to a sheet pan and toss with 1 Tbsp of oil, 2 tsp of the chili oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Add to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

At the 15 minute mark, remove the pan from the oven and add the leeks. Toss with 1 tsp lemon juice, the last 1 tsp of chili oil, and additional salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the butternut squash so evenly mixed. Add back to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes until vegetables are beginning to brown and crisp.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and add them to the pot with the pasta. Add in 1/2 cup of the asiago cheese and 1/4 cup of pasta water and stir to combine. Serve into 4 bowls and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cup asiago cheese. Enjoy!